The thing that I built

[LV426]

So the duckies needed a bigger house and when I'm on vacation they needed a large enough area that they wouldn't have to be let out every day. It also had to be secure from raccoons and somewhat sheltered from the weather because it rains all the time out here. So yesterday a friend of mine and I went to Home Depot and bought some supplies. I had a basic idea of what I wanted so we went with that and just kind of grabbed things as I thought of them.

2 trips to Home Depot
$160
and 8 hours of labor produced Fort Duck:

 

[Chirpy]

Nicely put together. Your ducks should be very happy with their new digs.

I like the 'guard' cat!

 

[mudman]

You might think of adding some sheet roofing to the top to keep that OSB from falling apart. It is basically one big shingle on a roll, and would keep water from being absorbed by the top OSB.

 

[mudman]

Oh yeah, and don't forget tar paper underneath the sheet roofing. It helps keep air between the OSB and roofing material. Ask around, you might find someone with enough 'scrap' laying around.

 

[mudman]

One more thing- adding a latch at the bottom (a type that coons won't figue out) will prevent varmints from prying the door open at the bottom. Think your door is strong enough right now in that situation? Think again.

 

[LV426]

The OSB I sealed with Thompson Water Seal and then covered in 3 coats of paint today. In fact the whole thing was sealed yesterday and then today I painted it. The bottom doesn't need a latch because the roof actually lifts up. When it's down the door is pressed down by the top and it sets inside a lip. I have to lift the door slightly just to get the door open. There's also a latch at the top which a padlock slips into and there's a latch on the inside of the roof which catches and can only be released from the inside if the roof lifts more than an inch. It's also anchored into the ground with stakes that go down 2 feet and are screwed into the sides and then it's sitting on pressure treated 4x4s the orange kind that the park services uses on their fencing which are buried in the ground and the cage sets on those. I'm pretty sure it's racoon safe.

 

[LuvinMyPeeps]

That's a work of art! Wow - and only in 8 hours? Wow - I'm jealous I love the color too. Good job!!

 

[LV426]

Well there were two of us.
Thanks though, we worked hard and the ducks seem to like it.

 

[LV426]

The ducks were in bed already when I got home but I took a few pics with the lid raised so you can see how it lifts up.

 

[timbofarms]

good job the quackers look happy